Allenby: Give Norman extra manpower

Presidents Cup Captain Greg Norman should consider appointing further vice-captains ahead of next year’s Melbourne showdown against the Americans.

That’s the view of Robert Allenby, already a ‘veteran’ of five Presidents Cups.

Allenby: Give Norman extra manpower

In the eight times the Presidents Cup has been played the Internationals have only won once – and that was at Royal Melbourne in 1998 when the Peter Thomson-captained side trounced the Americans 20 ½ to 11 ½.

Allenby bases his stance after having watched TV coverage of the recent Ryder Cup where the rival European and USA Captains employed four vice-captains.

In fact, European Team leader Colin Montgomerie had five over the weekend and Monday’s final day after asking Jose Maria Olazabal to join his back-room staff.

“The Ryder Cup do have more vice-captains with Corey (Pavin) and Monty (Colin Montgomerie) having four each and then I saw Europe had a fifth over the weekend as Jose Maria Olazabal was asked to join in, so that’s a vice-captain out with virtually every match,” said Allenby.

“That has to be a good thing as you need to know who is playing well and who may be struggling a little.

“Last year at San Francisco we had Greg (Norman) as captain and Frank (Nobilo) as a vice-captain and while they were great, most of the time we never saw them.

“I was out in the first games a lot of the times and I never saw them, not to the very end.

“It’s just their duties are forcing them to be spread too thin and also certain players need ‘baby-sitting’, as well (smiling).

“I’m not going to mention any names but one of our team members needs more attention than others and that draws the attention away from the bigger team need.”

“But one of the big concerns is the make-up of the International Team as Vijay [Singh] is not playing well and [Angel] Cabrera hasn’t had a good season either.

“So we could see a whole new team with players like Charl Schwartzel and maybe Jason Day as he’s moved up inside the top-40 in the world.

“But getting back to what I was talking about earlier and that is we definitely haven’t made the putts when they counted.”

Norman is yet to name his vice-captains.

But Adam Scott, who was a controversial ‘wildcard’ pick in 2009 believes the infancy of the Presidents Cup compared to the Ryder Cup that was first contested in 1927 has much to do with the lack of passion.

Scott was also a member of the three earlier sides including 2003 in South Africa when there was a 17-all draw due to darkness.

He also pointed out the language differences within the team as a factor for a lack of team room passion so present in European Ryder Cup teams.

“Because of the language differences there is two or three guys slightly excluded, but then we always try to include everyone,” said Scott.

“Really the Presidents Cup just doesn’t have the history of the Ryder Cup yet and the passion that comes with that.

“It’s different with the Ryder Cup because with Europe it’s a small continent but when it comes to the Presidents Cup it’s like the whole world comes together.

“The Europeans are playing in each other’s company virtually all year whereas the International players may only come together a few times a year for the Majors and the WGCs.

“These are not excuses but I believe the Presidents Cup is still developing as a contest and yes, it’s important the Internationals win again soon because it feels like it’s becoming a non-event.”

Having been a ‘wildcard’ pick last year, and winning just one match in five, Scott’s determined to stake his place in the 2011 team by qualifying automatically.

“That’s going to be one of my big goals trying to get into Greg’s team on my own merits as it’s going to be awesome to be playing in Melbourne,” he said.